Touch
by Justbychance
Summary: Violet, a young nurse fresh out of school has been hired at Briarcliff, a mental facility for the criminally insane. Tate Langdon has been a resident for two years, unresponsive in a coma isolated from the other patients under the care of Dr. Arden. Soon it is quite clear to Violet that all is not what it seems as she finds that one particular boy is very much awake.
1. welcome home

**Briarcliff Mental Institution**

** December 3, 1996**

** 11:15 pm**

Pressing her hands down her very drab uniform Violet forced a smile practicing looking as normal as possible as she closed her locker door to face her reflection in the mirror over the bathroom sink.

Following the rules her honey blonde hair is neatly up in a twist, she is free of any jewelry or makeup except for a very pale pink gloss that she hoped no one would notice.

_**'We don't want to remind the male patients of their sexual impulses any more than we have to Ms. Harmon, our job is to keep them calm so they can focus on their rehabilitation'**_

Recalling Sister Jude's speech while showing her around Violet shrugged at the image looking back at her.

She had never been comfortable around boys her age or any man for that matter, the first never showed much interest and the latter too much.

A deep shiver rushed through her as the memory of her father's shadow standing in her bedroom flashed before her eyes.

Immediately she pulled down the long sleeves of her grey uniform hiding the scars crawling up her wrist.

As she walked through the darkened halls of the facility she sheepishly looked into the vacant medicated eyes of the patients shuffling by her knowing full well it could be her stuck behind these thick cement walls.

She was lucky the maid had recently waxed the floors that day, blessed that no one was home to witness the rush of courage coursing through her, fortunate that one small push was enough to send him falling down the stairs to his death.

She felt nothing watching him twitch as his eyes glared up at her, his neck broken face twisted in the wrong direction.

Her torment was over, peace washed over her like cool ocean waves on a hot summer's day.

She was free.

Violet didn't know if it was empathy for such violence that only she could understand, or just her need for a job that led her to this depressing dank place, regardless she was here, and she would have to learn to adapt like everything else in her life.

** "Ms. Harmon!"**

Startled out of her thoughts by the stern hardened face of Sister Jude, Violet turned on her heels to face the open door to her office and the woman grimacing with impatience behind a desk.

"Come in here, I need to speak to you concerning your living arrangements."

Swiftly sitting down across from the Sister and the shiny large cross that swung back and forth across her midsection, Violet waited as Jude finished writing instructions on a large clip board.

Violet seemed to be mesmerized by the huge silver crucifix and the man that hung torturously, helplessly upon it.

She didn't believe in God, and to be honest thought very little of those who did, as if they were brainwashed into cult or something, it was very obvious to Violet that there was too much suffering in the world; if he did exist God plainly didn't give a shit.

Slamming her clip board down Sister Jude once again jostled Violet out of her continuous thoughts that went on inside her bored as hell mind.

"As I understand it your father has recently passed away, and due to his substantial debt to the IRS everything he owned now belongs to the government leaving you … _well_ basically homeless."

Nodding as she dug her nails into her thighs Violet interrupted hoping to end her interrogation.

"Yes but I was told that – "

"Excuse me dear but I do believe I was still speaking, you will learn to mind your manners or I assure you there will be consequences."

Remaining silent Violet quickly began to question her decision as Sister Jude continued on.

"While it is not our policy to board nurses I do believe that monsignor is sympathetic to your special…_ situation_."

Handing over the clipboard to Violet, Sister Jude stood to show her out of her office.

"You will find a small but suitable room on the north side of the building opposite Dr. Arden's laboratory. His assistant, a young nun who died unexpectedly lived there for awhile but it's empty now. You'll find a list of all rules and regulations on the top sheet, underneath that there is a list of patients you will be responsible for during the term of your probation period. They are all heavily medicated so they shouldn't be any problem, one is even comatose. I figure we'll start you off slow, let you get your feet wet before we transfer you to more of our complicated cases. Since you're shift has already started I'll expect you'll be wanting to get moving. I assure this will be quite a change from that fancy nursing school you attended. Just kept your mind on your work and stick to the rules and you should do very well here. Any questions... good, I'll have the janitor move your suitcases up to your room while your get started with Mr. Anderson."

Before she knew it Violet was standing on the opposite side of a closed door holding her clipboard tight to her chest.

Sighing deeply she leaned against the wall immediately flipping the page on rules and regulations over so she could read her duties for the night.

She had spent ten hours on a bus and hadn't eaten the entire day, she was exhausted and starving, but Sister Jude insisted she begin right away.

"Bitch" She breathed our as she yawned quickly covering her mouth as an orderly walked by.

**_ Vitals, sponge baths, feedings, and linen changes_**.

'Fucking fantastic, I'm a glorified nurse's aide.' She complained silently as she made her way down to her first patient.

** vTv**

** 5:12 am**

Exhausted leaning over the bathroom sink Violet could barely keep her eyes open as she splashed cool water against her face.

After attending to ten patients she was feeling the effects of having to lift essentially dead weight all night.

Sighing heavily she bend backwards pressing on tight muscles that stretched across her slender low back.

That's when she saw herself, long pieces of her dirty blonde hair hanging in her face, dark circles under her whiskey colored eyes making her look worn and drained.

Standing sideways she gazed down at her boyish figure dressed in her matronly uniform, and inwardly groaned picturing herself ten years from now still untouched, except from her dead deranged father, working in this shit hole left with only her hand to keep her company at night.

A few times she attempted to fix her hair only to have it fall back down across her face until she ultimately gave up hoping that Sister Jude wouldn't see her until after her shift had ended at seven am.

Feeling constricted by the buttons that lined straight up to her neck she figured she'd give herself a break undoing five of them until just a hint of her white cotton bra was showing.

Looking down at the last patient on her list she cocked her eyebrow figuring there was zero chance of inciting any sexual excitement from a comatose teenager.

It was a long walk down to where Tate was being held, she quietly wondered why he wasn't kept with the others, especially in his condition where patients with the same diagnosis were kept in one large room.

Following the signs leading to the north wing she passed by Dr. Arden's office noticing a sliver of light coming from underneath his closed door.

Stopping momentarily she heard a muffled deep voice sounding as if he were recording notes from some sort of procedure.

Other than thinking it was strange that a doctor would keep such odd hours, she didn't seem bothered by the obvious change in décor as the further she went everything began to change as several weird shaped doors and hallways resembled a maze straight out of a horror movie.

It was also darker than the rest of the institution causing her to squint her eyes as she finally reached an arch shaped door with three industrial bolt locks on the outside.

Leaning closer she read the name that was typed in small letters held up by two pieces of tape.

**Tate Langdon**

Rummaging through her deep pockets she searched for the special keys that Sister Jude had given her.

All the other rooms opened with the same skeleton key except for his that called for three separate keys that fit each specific lock.

This made no sense to her, why would a patient who was unable to move or speak, who was completely cut off from the outside world need to be locked up like he was Hannibal Lector.

Struggling she concentrated in the dim light until she finally heard the release of the last bolt.

The wheels on her cart squeaked loudly echoing inside the vast barren halls as she backed into the large brick walled room that looked straight out of a Frankenstein movie.

Suddenly chills rushed up her spine as she slowly turned noting all the strange instruments and machines beeping around her that were unrecognizable from anything she had ever seen in nursing school.

The air left her lungs as her eyes fell upon him for the first time.

High above his head close to the ceiling was a small oval shaped stained glass window, shades of green, purple and yellow shone lightly as the sun began to rise over the towering Transylvania castle look alike building.

The sunrise pierced the window sending a shower of pure iridescent light down upon his blond shaggy hair making him look almost angelic.

His skin was as pale as falling snow, flawless, stunningly beautiful in contrast to his long dark eyelashes that kissed his cheek bones.

Lips like petals from pale pink roses full and soft fell slightly apart as the intermediate sound of his delicate breath filled the archaic room.

Violet was frozen as if her feet were glued to the floor, her gaze fell further down to his bare chest and the stark white sheet that laid flat just below his waist over his hip bones.

His slender body was tone, muscles firm, strong like a swimmers frame, nothing resembling a boy who hadn't moved in two years.

Biting down hard on her bottom lip she noticed his wrists and ankles shackled to the steel bedframe.

Something was wrong, _very_ wrong with this picture, she thought to herself as she fumbled for his chart flipping through it intensely skimming each page searching for answers.

**INCARERATED WITH NO POSSIBLITLY OF PAROLE**

** SERVING THREE LIFE SENTENCES FOR MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE **

**SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD MALE BROUGHT IN WITH SEVERAL GUN SHOT WOUNDS …**

** SEVERAL SURGIES REPAIRING THREE MAJOR ORGANS, ALL SUCCESSFULL …**

**CAUSE FOR COMA UNKNOWN...**

** PATIENT REMAINS UNRESPONSIVE… **

**NEGATIVE MOVEMENT CONCERNING ALL REFLEXES… **

**PATIENT REMAINS COMATOSE AFTER SIX MONTHS WITH LESS THAN FIVE PERCENT CHANCE OF RECOVERY.**

** TRANSFER TO BRIARCLIFF APPROVED UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF DR. ARDEN.**

Slamming the folder closed frustrated by the lack of medical information she carefully approached him almost needing to touch his skin.

She wondered how someone so beautiful, appearing so innocent and young could be charged with such heinous crimes.

Instantly the image of her hands gently pressing into her father's back flickered through her mind.

She didn't need to wonder, she had no right to judge.

Breathlessly she gingerly placed the tips of her fingers along his arm feeling the warmth of his skin until her hand was cradled inside his.

This was inappropriate, wrong in so many ways, but it was as if she had no choice, as if something was inside her willing her to touch him.

Slowly she raised her wide eyes back up towards his peaceful face while her stray blonde hair whisked across her pale pink lips blowing outward back and forth as she tried fruitlessly to catch her breath.

She was helpless to hold back the words that came whispering from those same lips as she leaned over him searching for any sign of life that she instinctually knew was there.

"You're beautiful."

Instantaneously she felt his fingers curl around hers holding her there in a tight grip.

Stunned she jerked backwards crashing into one of the steel tables causing it to come crashing to the floor.

**"Ms. Harmon what the hell do you think you're doing!" **

Looking down his fingers were back in their previous position lying flat against the sheet relaxed with absolutely no sign of movement.

Kneeling to the floor to retrieve the instruments that had fallen she apologized profusely reading the embroidered name that stretched across his long white lab coat.

**Dr. Arden**


	2. whispers in the night

_**Thanks so much for the reply's, follows/fav's , so appreciated!**_

Staring up at the ceiling in her small bare room Violet followed a substantial crack that split off into two separate crevices before hitting the brick wall opposite her bed.

It was a metaphor for her life, brick wall and all, a deep penetrating void full of fear and loneliness fractured by a decision that would end her father, and his path of abuse.

She saw the two meandering cracks as possible roads her life could take her.

One would continue on with the world she was familiar with filled with self-destruction, grasping at whatever she could to numb the abyss of pain by self-medicating and mutilation.

While the other provided a dim but visible guiding light out of the darkness, where she would finally discover what it means to be loved, and to love in return.

Unfortunately the resounding voice that was banging around in her mind at the moment was that of Dr. Arden as she thought about his cold grey eyes staring down at her looming already with disappointment and disgust.

His accusing glare flickered between her on her knees cleaning up the instruments she had knocked over and up at Tate with a gleam of obsessive ownership.

It was chilling how he scanned every inch of him as if he was trying to identify something out of place, there was no doubt that Tate was at the mercy of this man, whether he was aware of it or not.

**_'Clean this room up, and meet me in my office immediately, there are urgent matters we need to discuss.'_**

She could still feel the cold wood beneath her sitting across from his oversized mahogany desk as she pulled nervously on her cuffs making sure her scars could not be seen.

There were no introductions; it was obvious that Sister Jude had consulted with him explaining in grave detail Violet's very precarious situation.

**_'Tell me Ms. Harmon, are you serious about your position here at Briarcliff, because I have not the time nor patience for anything less than your complete devotion, this is my life's work, not a place for you to hold up until something better comes along. If that is what you are interested in then I suggest a seedy but suitable boarding house by the docks, I'm sure they could always use a new barmaid at the local watering hole.' _**

A world wind of responses raced through her mind from listing her extensive qualifications to telling him to fuck off for being such a monstrous dick on her first day, if only her mouth was a quick as she parted her lips several times only to fall short of actually speaking.

**_'A simple yes or no will suffice Ms. Harmon, I don't have all day.'_**

She was mesmerized by his intimidating, penetrating stare that seemed to slice right through her revealing all her inner demons that she was usually so careful to hide.

**_'Y-yes, I assure you I am one hundred percent – '_**

**_'You may go, that is all I need to hear for the time being, you are dismissed from Tate's responsibilities for tonight, the day nurse took care of everything before you arrived.'_**

Nodding towards the door in an obvious request for her departure, Dr. Arden waved her away with a flutter of his long boney fingers, which in her mind she imagined breaking into pieces with a large iron hammer her father always kept in the shed behind their house.

Only she no longer had a father, or a house, not even the hammer that hung in that shed her entire life, which was still a reality she was finding difficult to accept.

As she wrapped her hand around the doorknob he called out to her as he lifted a large window open behind his desk inviting a strong gust of frosty December wind to sting the back of her neck sending a chill down her spine.

**_'I hope I don't have to remind you, Ms. Harmon, that Tate Langdon is in a comatose state, therefore has no need for comforting, or at the very least inappropriate affections from the likes of a lonely little girl whose looking for the opportunity to fill the void left by her recently departed daddy._**

His biting sarcasm and demeaning condescension cut into her like the razor she intended on using on her arm as soon as she got into her room.

The shock of his words combined with the mere fact he had caught her in such a private and intimate moment with Tate was both humiliating and insulting beyond comprehension.

This time her answer came swift and clear as she kept her eyes locked in front of her not dignifying him with the response he was looking for.

'I prefer you refer to me as Violet, Mrs. Harmon is my grandmother. Good night Dr. Arden.'

**_… and fuck you sideways with a pitchfork_**

A small satisfying grin edged its way along her mouth recalling her quick reaction to his belittling attempt to embarrass her while simultaneously putting her in her place; it was clearly evident he had no idea who he was dealing with.

When you spend years in a dance with the devil you eventually learn how to lead.

**vTv**

It was only her second night but Violet was quickly catching on how to avoid the other nurses and orderlies.

She never played well with others and this job was no exception, she definitely felt more comfortable by herself off in her own little world.

Every now and again she'd catch an ear full of gossip as she walked by the break room, but she wasn't interested, what did consume her every thought though was seeing Tate again.

In fact she had organized her patients very efficiently, albeit thoroughly, so that she could finish all her work before her half hour break at three am, that way the rest of her shift could be devoted to finding more about the beautiful boy behind Frankenstein's door.

Impatiently she finished off a row of Ritz crackers that she snagged from a cabinet in the break room before making her way to the north side of the asylum.

The box was clearly marked **'Melissa'**, which was the name of a girl from sixth grade that would endlessly bully her until she eventually snapped grabbing a pair of scissors off the teacher's desk to cut off her ponytail.

Violet was sent to private school after that, but rumors flew about the incident, needless to say no one bothered her after that day.

Somehow the similar name released her of any guilt she might have had taking her food; Violet clearly had a very askew sense of right and wrong.

Walking soundlessly down the curved hallway as it turned from bright pale green walls to dark damp brick she slowly approached Dr. Arden's office hoping not to see that little sliver of light from beneath his door.

An unusual gasp of happiness slipped through her lips as darkness flooded the floor in front of his room.

The only light came from very dim electric candelabras set high on the walls that she imagined at one point held real candles spreading out ten feet apart that looked as if they belonged in Dracula's castle.

After successfully unlocking the three individual bolts to his thick iron door she slowly pushed it open almost expecting the young man to be sitting up waiting for her.

Warmth immediately spread throughout her body and places south as he came into view once again.

The effect he had on her was overwhelming; the connection she felt was immediate, she was already ferociously protective over him.

Pressing her hands down the front of her uniform she reached for a large bin filling it with warm water, convincing herself that she had a job to do, that she needed to put whatever this was to the side for the moment.

Ringing out a wash cloth she rubbed a good amount of soap along it before gently smoothing it over his collar bone, making her way up one side of his neck than the other.

She had done this chore for all her assigned patients that night but for some reason with him it_ felt_ different, personal, as if she wanted him to somehow know that he was safe in her care, that he mattered to her on a deeper level.

Tenderly she repeated rinsing, wringing, soaping up the wash cloth several times cleaning his flawless porcelain skin as if he were precious to her.

Washing, drying his chest, face and arms she moved down to his feet lifting his leg to carefully drape one than the other with the sheet being sure not to pull on the shackles attached to his ankles.

With each stroke she felt herself becoming more and more attached to him, emotionally invested in him to the point where it was starting to affect her physically.

Gazing over her shoulder making sure the door was securely closed and locked this time she moved up towards his waist where the sheet stretched across his hips.

Once again strands of her honey colored hair had falling out of its tight bun forcing her to blow them away from her eyes and mouth.

Turning away from him she emptied the used water filling it back up again as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

It was unbearably warm in his room so much so that she once again threw caution to the wind and released those five pesky buttons that had been suffocating her all night.

Placing the bin on the cart near the bed she once again glared down at the restraints tying him to the metal frame.

Running her fingers over the cuffs she realized they called for a special key, one that she did not possess.

Breathing out she felt it was inhuman to do such things, especially to someone in a coma, for some reason especially to him.

Without thinking, running on pure need, she reached out and skimmed the tips of her fingers along his lower abdomen just above the sheet.

His skin was like velvet, warm and soft, her wide inquisitive eyes lifted up to his sleeping relaxed face focusing on the sudden change in his breathing.

The steady even breaths from before were now becoming more uneven and shuddered as if he was aware of what she was doing.

Back and forth she continued her very gentle caresses, not caring any longer if what she was doing was inappropriate or not.

She felt as if somehow they were sharing this experience together, locked in the privacy of each other's minds, far from the strangers that busied themselves on the other side of the institute.

At one point it became unclear as to where his skin began and hers ended, an experience new to Violet, something she was sure in that moment she could never have shared with anyone else.

What should have felt wildly immoral seemed inexplicably right as if he needed her touch like air to his lungs.

Becoming bolder, recalling his tight grip on her hand from the night before, she slipped her fingertips underneath the sheet grazing the sensitive skin there lightly, purposefully as his breathing increased in speed and volume.

At this point he wasn't alone; her shaky breath also filled the room alongside his as she folded the sheet down revealing the very real reaction to her ministrations.

She had confirmed her suspicions that every part of him was beautiful, like a sculpture at some museum in Europe, it was almost hard to look away.

Biting down hard on her bottom lip she was determined to remain as professional as possible as she eased the warm washcloth along his hard cock, doing her best to be thorough knowing that it wasn't unheard of for patients to react this way, even during a coma, it was a natural process, nothing out of the ordinary.

Except it was, and she knew it.

Taking a deep breath she covered him back up before whispering softly, unknowingly as the thoughts in her head made their way to her mouth.

"You felt that didn't you?"

Reaching down for a set of clean sheets, she turned back around to find his eyes open staring intensely up at her.

This time she didn't jump or jerk away, in fact she felt powerless to move at all taken in entirely, gloriously by the way he was looking at her.

His stare was as black as a starless night adding even more beauty to him as his pale skin seemed to almost glow in contrast.

It was almost as if he were desperately trying to communicate but was frozen within his own body, trapped by something out of his control, it was horribly disturbing and intensely erotic at the same time.

Unable to produce the words that were literally on the tip of his tongue he just stared, conveying all the emotion she had been feeling since she stepped into that room last night.

Looking away for a split second to gather herself and the clean sheets that had fallen to the floor, she gazed back to find his eyes closed again, as if nothing had happened.

Shaking her head in disbelief she covered her mouth feeling as if she were going insane, wondering if something inside her was so broken that she was now imagining him, hallucinating that he was there with her awake, falling for her as she was falling for him.

It wasn't the first time Violet had felt or seen him move in some capacity, but this was different, the connection in his eyes, the heat lifting from his skin, the ragged breath that staggered every time she touched him, this was real.

Softly she spoke out to him placing the bundle of clean sheets on the side of his body.

"Tate… _Tate_, can you hear me?"

Feeling like an idiot without a single sign from him, she breathed out hard in frustration as she leaned over him pulling his body up on his side against her chest before reaching over his mattress to pull off the dirty sheets.

Just as she was gathering the linens she heard a breathy request from his parted lips that brushed softly against her neck with each shocking word.

"Violet… help… me."


	3. pale angel

_**Thanks so much for the reply's, follows/fav's , so appreciated!**_

_**please forgive the short chpt, I promise to be back soon with more.**_

His voice was beautiful, like deep raspy whispers carried along the wind on a cold winters day filled with chilling raw emotion.

Warmly familiar but seductively strange his voice danced along her hot skin diving deep endlessly and forever within the very heart of her, the broken lonely part that she kept hidden and quiet far from the harsh ugly world outside.

It rushed down inside her belly, inside every cell awakening every nerve ending right through her limps out her fingers and toes like lightening shaking her to her very core.

For one brief glorious wondrous moment the world stopped, time ceased to exist.

There was nothing, no sound, no horrific past, no soul crushing future.

It was just the two of them pressed together, his soft lips grazing the racing pulse against her neck like two sinuous petals of a rose with piercing razor sharp thorns.

She could feel it in the pounding beat of his heart, they were one in the same, both walking the dark side of a life that had made it impossible for them to see the light.

In those tender seconds she had never felt so alive, their connection was something so tangible you could taste it on your tongue, feel it on the tips of your fingers.

_**Heaven**_

The very first evidence of its existence to Violet and she'd never forget it.

Without thought her fingers fisted the mop of blonde hair on the back of his head gently moving her mouth close to his ear.

"I _knew_ you could hear me… listen to me closely Tate…"

Running her slick pink tongue over her lips she pressed her wet mouth against his cheekbone fighting needs that left her dizzy and weak.

"… I know what he's doing to you, you're not alone anymore."

Instantly his body went limp in her arms like a fallen angel his pale divine face fell still as if it all had been a beautiful dream, only it was very real.

It was then that Violet heard the squeak of Dr. Arden's hard stiff leather shoes turning the corner towards Tate's room.

_"Fuck!"_

Quickly she gingerly laid Tate back down on the bed before going to the door to edge it open slightly to look as though she had nothing to hide.

Doing her best to calm herself she reached for clean sheets to appear as if she was just working as normal.

Swallowing hard she relaxed her shoulders plastering a fake smile across her face knowing what she had to do.

She felt him standing in the doorway, tall menacing hell bent on intimidating the naïve little girl, only she wasn't what she appeared to be.

Not even _close_.

Eyeing his watch skeptically Dr. Arden glared up at her as the permanent scowl on his face twitched with agitation.

"Good morning Dr. Arden." She mused lightly as she completed her task of making up his bed.

His answer was a low guttural growl that sounded much like he was swatting an irritating fly from his face.

It was obvious that she clearly annoyed him, she would have to work on that if she was going to help Tate.

"With five minutes left of your shift, I can safety assume you're almost finished here Violet?"

Nodding she smiled up at him pleasantly as she loaded up her cart drawing out her time pretending to take inventory on her supplies as she carefully observed him approach Tate.

He hovered over the boy as if he belonged to him, his own personal laboratory rat.

Every move, touch, glance was like a predator toying with its prize, his narcissistic psychotic ego grew leaps and bounds every time he glared down into Tate's helpless face.

Only he wasn't helpless any longer.

Arranging her towels she pretended to drop one on the floor, as she went to retrieve it she noticed three very large metal syringes sticking out of the pocket of his lab coat.

Sighing heavily with great distain he raised his hands to his hips letting one slip over the needles grasping them in his liver spotted thin skinned aged hand.

"That's enough for today Violet, you need to go **now**."

Tucking a stray blonde hair behind her ear Violet shoved the cart out the door leaving it open just enough for a sliver of light to shine through.

"Of course Dr. Arden, sorry to keep you waiting, I imagine your time is very valuable."

She felt the sickly taste of vomit crawl up her throat as she turned away, never in her life did she lower herself to kiss ass or fake her feelings with anyone, but this was different.

It was becoming more and more evident that Tate's life was in her hands now, a task that felt more like a privilege than a burden as each moment passed.

Gazing quickly over her shoulder she stared up at the IV bags expecting him to expel whatever drug he was using into the valve but she soon found out he had an altogether different approach to administering Tate's daily mystery medications.

Standing in the shadows of the dank stone dimly lit hallway she held her breath as she peeked between the thin slice of light emulating from his room.

There she witnessed something that made her heart slam hard against her ribs.

Bracing against his restraint Tate once again woke desperately reaching for the cuff of Dr. Arden's lab coat in a frantic pathetic attempt to halt was going to happen next.

Violet shook her head back and forth terrified for him, begging him silently to stop, horrified at what Dr. Arden would do if he fought back.

Only it was nothing what she expected.

Tilting his head Dr. Arden raised the corner of his crusty dry lips into a twisted sinister smirk as he gently laced his fingers through Tate's fallen blonde curls swiping them away almost tenderly as if a father would treat a child.

"Good boy Tate, the more you fight, the more I learn… I do believe we need to increase your daily dosage of thiopental. We wouldn't want you frightening the new pretty young nurse that has taken such a shine to you."

Biting down on her lip to keep quiet Violet grabbed a pen from her uniform to quickly scribble down the word_ thiopental_ across her arm.

It was then that she heard the husky deep voice again now begging fruitlessly for mercy.

"Please… no, _please_ stop – "

Her entire body tensed as she watched with wide tearful eyes the first of three huge steel needles begin shoved with great urgency into Tate's neck.

Her horrified expression fell quickly to his fingers and toes as they lifted off the bed spreading out wide before falling lifeless back down onto the thin mattress.

With an insidious glint in his eye Dr. Arden threw the empty vials onto a stainless steel cart beside him before take a deep satisfying breath.

"Very good, now we can… _begin_."


End file.
